A media figure recently made a bold claim linking XRP to the core vision of Bitcoin’s anonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.
The statement sparked speculation and admiration among XRP proponents, who believe XRP is “the real” Bitcoin.
XRP as Satoshi Nakamoto’s Main Idea
In a post on X, media personality John Squire claimed that XRP comes closest to embodying Satoshi Nakamoto’s original vision.
The statement suggests that the XRP token possesses the scalability, decentralization, and use-case orientation that may reflect what Satoshi intended.
Notably, Bitcoin emerged as a peer-to-peer electronic cash system. However, some XRP supporters argue that high fees, slow transaction speeds, and mining centralization have diluted Bitcoin’s original goals.
They believe XRP came to address these issues. Proponents often bolster this argument by pointing out that some of XRP’s original architects were also involved in Bitcoin’s early development.
Further Theory Linking XRP to Satoshi
Joining the conversation, XRP community commentator Alex Cobb theorized that Satoshi may have played a role in XRP’s early creation. He referenced a famous quote attributed to Nakamoto from April 2011, which stated that Satoshi had “moved on” to other things.
This is because satoshi had a hand in the creation of XRP
“I‘ve moved on to other things” – Satoshi Nakamoto, April 23, 2011 https://t.co/WIYUcbwb9Y
— Cobb (@Cobb_XRPL) June 9, 2025
Interestingly, just over a year later, XRP launched in June 2012, and some believe this hints at a potential connection. Though speculative, this theory isn’t new within the XRP community.
Many argue that XRP’s design improvements better reflect the practical implementation of decentralized finance than Bitcoin currently does.
In a previous commentary, Squire extended this narrative by comparing XRP to Starlink, emphasizing its speed and utility. In his analogy, Bitcoin is like a landline—reliable but slow—while Ethereum is a cell phone—more capable but still limited. Meanwhile, Squire claims XRP is the Starlink of crypto: fast, modern, and with minimal lag.
This metaphor highlights XRP’s ability to process transactions in 3–5 seconds with fees under $0.01, outperforming Bitcoin’s 10-minute blocks and Ethereum’s often congested network.
XRP’s Thin Connection to Bitcoin
Interestingly, speculation has run wild in the XRP community about the project’s potential link to Satoshi Nakamoto. A commentary from Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse added fuel to the fire.
During a podcast, Garlinghouse noted that some XRP Ledger developers, including Ripple’s CTO David Schwartz, were also early Bitcoin engineers who aimed to improve scalability and reduce energy consumption.
This statement led to theories highlighting Schwartz’s involvement in XRP’s development that began shortly after Nakamoto’s last known activity. Additionally, Schwartz once shared a pre-released version of Bitcoin’s code around his birthday, which coincides with Satoshi’s.
Schwartz himself has joked that he is more likely to be Nakamoto than Craig Wright, who previously claimed the identity but was dismissed by a court. However, the Ripple CTO was only presenting an analogy. While no confirmed identity exists, the XRP community continues to speculate.
This is complete nonsense. Craig had strong incentive to prove he was Satoshi and failed to do so. Many others have had no such incentive. I’m more likely to be Satoshi than Craig is.
— David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) April 16, 2024
Meanwhile, the broader crypto community remains skeptical of any direct connection between Satoshi and XRP. Yet for XRP supporters, it’s another reason to believe they hold an asset that builds upon Satoshi’s vision.
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